The Kaiserschmarrn, the name alone evokes sheer pleasure, will delight the palate of any pastry lover. The cut-up and sugared pancakes with raisins taste especially good at an Alpine hut, “on the side”, lingonberry jam or apple purée.

Stopping off for a bite to eat is compulsoryLast year, Karina served us a delicious Kaiserschmarrn at the Poltn hut in the Navis Valley. We stopped off here for our last respite on the Navis hut-to-hut hikes, which is popular with hikers and(e)-bikers alike. On first bite, I asked myself: “Why does the Kaiserschmarrn taste nowhere near as good at home? Is it the fresh, clear mountain air, the dreamlike view of the surrounding mountain world or is it the hunger after a mountain hike? Or could it be the way of preparing them? I wanted to investigate further there and then and crept into the kitchen to Karina.

Take a break at the beautiful Poltnalm at the end of the Navis valleyView from the Poltnalm

How to make a good KaiserschmarrnKarina was happy to reveal her secret. First and foremost are the ingredients: fresh Alpine milk, fresh farm eggs, clarified butter and Alpine butter. Then, of course, the pan plays a big part. “A large iron pan is the most suitable”, explains Karina, as then the batter will get nicely and evenly brown.” And as for the preparation? It is especially important that the egg white is beaten to a solid egg white mixture as then the batter will turn out soft and fluffy.

There is a wood stove in the kitchen of the Poltnalm

Up at the hut with kit and caboodleKarina has spent every summer since 2015 with her family at the Poltn hut. She cooks and caters for her visitors and looks after the livestock together with her husband Reinhard. Their four children have also helped out since they were small. The youngest likes it the best up there and sometimes receives a visit by his friends from the valley who go on a hike with the family. It is, therefore, never boring, even without television or the internet.

Preparation:Separate egg whites from yolks. Beat the egg whites until stiff.Mix up the flour, salt, sugar and raisins and add the yolks and milk, so that a thick batter forms. After that, gently blend in the beaten egg whites. Then cook the batter in clarified butter or Alpine butter, on both sides, in a hot pan until golden brown. Finally, cut into bite-sized portions and sprinkle with sugar.

For the dough she takes fresh ingredients from the farmPut the dough into the hot pansFry the dough on both sides and break it into small pieces afterwardsReady to eat – enjoy!